BAGHDAD, April 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Hundreds of people in Fallujah have taken to the streets to welcome a former officer of the Iraqi army who has taken control of the city, following a pullout by US occupation forces.

   People waved Iraqi flags and Iraqi security forces cheered the former officer of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard Jasim Muhammad Salih, who was wearing his old army uniform when he entered the town center and gave a speech on Friday.

   The former officer said he was forming a military unit to restore calm to the bloodied Iraqi city of Fallujah after an agreement with US occupation forces.

   Salih, who said to have been chief of staff of a Republican Guard brigade, said the force would help Iraqi security forces bring order to the town, so US forces would not be needed.

   He did not clarify who would make up the unit.

   "We have now begun forming a new contingent military force to help the forces of the Iraqi Civil Defence Corps and the Iraqi police in completing the mission of imposing security and stability in Fallujah without the need of the American army, which the people of Fallujah reject," Salih said.

   Earlier US Marines withdrew from parts of Fallujah which they had occupied for the last three weeks while Iraqi police were deployed in some areas inside the city.

   The city has been the scene of the most violent clashes during April with scores of US soldiers and hundreds of Iraqi civilians and fighters were killed.

   The withdrawal follows a push for a political settlement in the city and troops on Friday were seen taking down barbed wire and defenses while tanks left the area.  Enditem